Maharashtra take upperhand against Kerala

Kannur: Maharashtra`s Akshay Darekar and Chirag Khurana spun a web around the Kerala batsmen to bundle out the hosts for 151 on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Group `C` match here today.

Maharashtra finished the day at 106 for one with Harshad Khadiwale unbeaten on 67. Left-arm spinner Darekar and off-spinner Khurana picked up seven wickets between them to knock the daylight out of the hosts at Conor Vayal Stadium, Tellicherry. Darekar and Khurana dismissed the Kerala top-order to leave them stuttering at 75 for four. A brief 46-run fifth-wicket partnership between Robert Fernandez and Sachin Baby offered some hopes to Kerala but the spinners struck in tandem between the middle overs of the innings to reduce Kerala to 127 for eight. The last two wickets couldn`t provide much resistance as the hosts were dismissed for 151 in 57 overs. Maharashtra`s reply was confident as Khadiwale and Vijay Zol (28) shared an opening stand of 92. Zol was dismissed a few overs before stumps, but continued with his innings and scored his third successive fifty. Brief Scores: Kerala 151 all out in 57 overs (Sachin Baby 30, Akshay Darekar 4/54, Chirag Khurana 3/26). Maharashtra: 106 for one in 32 overs (Harshad Khadiwale 67 batting).